Part of the country series of articles.
TRAVEL ADVISORY: NORMAL PRECAUTIONSThe Commonwealth advises travellers to exercise normal precautions when travelling in this country. Travellers should familiarise themselves with local laws and customs and consular availability.
| Socialist Republic of Vietnam | |
|---|---|
| Single-Party Socialist Republic | |
 |
|
| Capital | Hanoi |
| Languages | Vietnamese, French, and many regional languages |
| Population | 68,400,000 |
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a single-party state in Southeast Asia with a substantial industrial base and a higher standard of living than most of its regional neighbours, built on Soviet backing and domestic economic organisation. The country is closely aligned with the Soviet Union and regards China with sustained suspicion, directing significant foreign policy resources toward countering Chinese influence across Indochina. It supports the Lao PDR as a client state and funds political movements elsewhere in the region that complicate Chinese interests.
Despite political differences, Vietnam maintains a productive relationship with the Republic of Indochine, from which it imports a significant share of its food. The arrangement suits both parties, and the two countries manage their shared border and river systems with practical co-operation. Hanoi is the political and administrative capital of the republic, a dense city of colonial-era boulevards and Soviet-era ministry buildings.